Vinnie79IF-Rockerz

The aroma of strong
black coffee wafted its way into his
brain mixed in with the mouth watering sent of hot Potato rolls , that he had come to love
served as a trigger for him to open his
eyes and greet the day . he felt the soft hands on his shoulders shaking him
gently followed by a very chirpy "Good
Morning , Vickram!"

Very slowly he opened his eyes, blinking a few times to chase away the last remnants of sleep. He straightened his frame
from the table where he fell asleep

"Good morning" he said yawning.

"Breakfast is ready" She said placing a tray in front of
him.

"Thanks" He smiled..."Be right back he said getting up and
making his way to the back to freshen up.
It had become somewhat of a routine for them now. Where she would wake
him with breakfast and he would freshen up and join her, they would enjoy
breakfast and discuss plans for the day.

The past two weeks had been the most interesting he could say, after hearing her story all the
plans he made about leaving this little speck of a town that said day went out
the window, especially knowing that she was right and he did indeed put her in more problems than she was already in. His conscience would not allow him to leave
her like that. He was still amazed that despite
it all she was still such an optimistic person, making the best of what she
had, he knew a lot of people who would crumble under this type of pressure, but
some how she seems to strive.

He may have been seeking death, but he made sure to make
certain arrangements so that should his wish be granted, Sugni would not have to suffer the consequences of his
actions. Bhushan, his brother was
surprised to hear from him so soon after their last conversation. His brother was the only one he maintained
any contact with, the last 10 months and was probably the only one he had any
sort of trust in. Bhushan was even more shocked to hear Vickram's request but
knew that asking for an explanation would be futile, so he just did as
requested no questions asked.

As he took his usual seat opposite her glancing at the clock
he saw that it was 5 Am. The town was still asleep, quite. From this position
he could see the sun rise every morning reminding him yet again that he was
still alive.

"Any problems last night?" Sugni asked as she sipped on her
coffee.

"No...nothing..." He sighed

"You say that like it is a bad thing!" She laughed

He just shook his head.

"What?" He asked after realising she was staring at him

"hmm...nothing just wondering when are you going to tell
me why
are you so sad."

"Who says I am sad"

"Your eyes...your eyes says you're sad." She said. Giving
him a pitiful look, that lasted for a few seconds then she smiled.

"You know my mom used
to say, if we share our problems the universe helps us solve it. But if we keep
it bottled up inside it just says and festers and since the universe can't help
you stay stuck and can't move on. So see it will be much easier if you share
it." She smiled.

"I guess that is why you talk so much!" He answered. Sugni,
he was beginning to discover had a sense of logic that no one else he knew had,
it amused him sometimes the way her
brain worked.

"YES! And see it all worked out!, mother is never
wrong, look at this!" She said gesturing
to the diner that both of them.

Now he was confused .

"How exactly did it work out?"

"Well see, I told you what was my problem and the universe
listened, for the past two weeks, my business has gotten back to normal, my
staff, is back to work, I made enough money for the last two installments,
and I herd that curly sue will be bed ridden in the hospital with that broken leg you gave him for the
next 3 weeks!" She laughed that tinkling sound that sounded like music to his
ears.

"Well I warned him after that day when he came back to stay away,
it was not my fault he can't understand simple English. I don't understand why these people are so
afraid of them any ways!" He brooded.

'It is because almost every one here owes Jwala Singh
something. He takes advantage of
it. He knows how to hit where it hurts,
by threatening the ones you care about. I
am telling you, if you were not here,I never would have taken back Champa ,
Twinkle and Rattu to work. I could never
live with myself if they got hurt because of me."

After the goons went
to Champa's house and threaten her to
leave her job at the diner together with her husband, Rattu,
insisted that they quit . Champa was scared for her
daughter who was at school as they knew very well Digvijay would have no problems hurting a child. For the welfare of her "staff" as she called
them ,she took the hard decision and requesting, pleading with them to leave, when they refused she threaten
that she would close the diner if it would get them to agree, unable to
convince her tat they would stay with her no matter what, they left
unwillingly. Leaving Sugni to take over the duties of manager, waitress, cook
and cashier, not an easy task , but by that time even people in the
community were afraid to dine there.

Two days after Vickram started his duties as Guard, A beautiful couple about Sugni's age walked in insisting
on going back to work, saying if strangers can help her friend, then
family should not abandon their own in their times of need. Against Sugni's protest
they took over the Kitchen. They were soon followed by another young lady ,
Twinkle, who said she was bored and her life back at the diner or she would
die. Vickram began to wonder which planet was he on , because in his world people
like Sugni , Champa and Rattu, did not exists.
People who cared about others above themselves.

On that same day Curly Sue and company did pay a visit, but
with the help of Rattu, Vickram publicly
dealt with them, which resulted in Digvijai being hospitalized for a broken leg and other injuries and his
partner in crime was to scared to try anything
by himself.

As first only a few brave souls would come into the diner,
but since the food was the best in town, and seeing that they were relatively
safe hey returned bringing more customers with them. By the end of the week
business was booming again.

Sugni was happy, and Vickram was glad for her, but it seems
like fate again played a cruel trick on him as this time she not only snatched
his solitude, but death was no where in sight.
And now he promised to stay here until her loan was repayed so leaving
was not an option.

"Hey" Sugni Snapped
her fingers in front his face bringing him back to the present. "Any ways, I'll listen if you want to
talk" She said softly. He looked at her , her big brown eyes and
easy smile. And for a moment he wanted to , he just wanted to let it all
out. Even knowing that if she knew his
story, she would have followed her first instinct and ask him to leave and never return. No he could not ...he could not burden her sunshiny smile with the heaviness of his heart and guilt.
This was his cross to bear and he would.
No matter the cost to him.

"What can I say, I am just a mysterious guy. Don't try to figure me out Sugni, you never
will"

"That's not true! I think I have a good Idea"

'Really? Well I am
sure you are dieing to tell me...let's hear it"

"OK...hmmm" She leaned back on the chair moving her head left to right as though trying to see the pieces of a puzzle. Her serious expression made him laugh. He raised his eyebrows waiting for
her assessment, as he took another bite of
his breakfast.

"You've been hurt deeply, by some one close or maybe you
lost some one, I know when I lost my Mom
I wanted to die with her." she began, Vickram almost choked on his
coffee.

"You're trying to be tough and angry at every one, but you can't if you could you would not
be here helping me, a perfect stranger.
You have a good heart. You wander
around , because if you stop you have to think,
and your sadness will overwhelm you, so you keep moving, not concentraing on anything else but the
present" He stared at her, his heart
pounding, he could feel swet building
upo in his palms. She could not know how
close she was to the truth. He Closed his eyes breathing in deep.

"I'm sorry! It's ok I won't ask...I'm sorry" She said softly
. He felt her small hands touching the bacl of his tightly clenched fist. "Vickram??"

Slowly he opend his eyes to look at her;

"I'm sorry I do talk to much some times, my mom always said naa the connection between my
brain and mouth is missing...I just don't know when to shut up sometimes" He laughed. Shaking off the tension of the
past few minutes.

" I have something for you"
she said handing him a plastic
bag .

"What is it?" he
asked taking the bag from her hand.

"Open it!"

Inside the bag was what looked like a couple of Kurta Suits, and he shuddered as he saw a
bright orange . She sure loved bright colors.

"Sugni...this" He
started to protest

"Hold on...look I
never really told you thank you for what you are doing for me, and this is not a thank you, but I figured
you cold use some new clothes. "

"What's wrong with my clothes? He asked

"Its the same color"
she said

"So?"

"People are starting to question if you own one suit"

"Excuse me?" He said.
Was she implying,...

Taking a deep breath,
Sugni cleared her throat,
obviously she was nervous about what she was about to say.

"Look , Um, V-Vickram, n-no offense or anything but see am you kind of um"

"I kind of what...say it"

"You kind of look grubby , and see some customers are really uncomfortable with
it, and say their kids get scared , Noo
I know you stay in the back all day but still you know the ummm..." Her lightning fast speech trailed off watching the hard expression on his face

"Grubby..are you saying I don't bathe" he was offended , yet oddly amused watching her squirm

"Noo I know you do but
maybe if you wore something else got a
haircut and a shave and,..." She
shut up

"NO hair cut, and I kinda like my beard, Fine I will use
the blue one, what makes you think I would wear orange?'

"Orange is nice it's
happy. " He rolled his eyes. Before he
could retort to that the front door opened and Champa and Rattu walked in .

"Good Morning !" they greeted cheerfully. Sugni
left to start preparations for
the breakfast crowd that would start
coming in soon. Another day began .

"Hey" Sugni came back, she handed him the keys to her
house... and another package, this one with food. "Go home get some rest...See you later K!"

"Ok"

"Ohhh Vickram? "

"Hmmm?"

"Orange is happy"... She laughed as she hurried into the
kitchen.

Vickram left the diner making his way two blocks down to
Sugni's small house. Like the diner this
to was a reflection of herself all bright
and warm colors. With colorfulflowers all over the yard, in no
particular order., that he could figure out.

After the first few days of their arrangements Vickram was
happy staying in the diner, with nothing
in his possession except the basic essentials,
and an extra suit, he could camp under a tree and be happy.

However sighting that he would either start suffering from a
twisted neck, or a hunch back from sleeping
bent over a table all the time,
Sugni insisted that he use her spare
bedroom to get some proper rest and why
struggle with ice cold water, when she had
perfect plumbing he could use.
Arguing with her was futile so he
agreed that during the day as long as Rattu
was around he would do as she said for a few hours at least. Coming back
after lunch to resume his guard duties.
She insisted he stay longer, or go out and explore the town. Lately with
big hints that he visit the barber shop, hints that he ignored.

Spending to much time alone with his thoughts was taking a
tole on him, and he rather sit at the back of the diner and observe the customers. Watching Sugni interact with
them could prove very distracting and
entertaining. Her warmth was not limited to her close friends , but extended to
her customers and strangers, like
him.

A few hours after , after Checking in with Bhushan, who
was again surprised at the call after
two weeks, some times it took him months
before he would call . He jumped in
the shower, deciding to make his life
easier he opted for the blue suit she choose
burying the orange Kurta at the bottom of his tote bag, where he had no intention of ever taking it out. .
as he looked at his face in the mirror ...he recalled her conversation about
his "Grubby" look.

Scare children, really? Naaa, just another ploy by her to
get him to visit the barber. Nice try
Sugni...he glanced at his face and was surprised there was nothing forced or unnatural
about the smile on his face. A sensation
that was totally alien to him was spreading through his chest, and for the
first time in what felt like years, it did not hurt to breath.

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